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Six storylines for the second half of the NHL season

The NHL hits the halfway point of the season some unbelievably tight playoff races and an alarming number of concussions.

Penguins star Sidney Crosby is exercising lightly, much as he did during his nearly 11-month concussion layoff earlier this year, and there is no timetable for his return. (Nick Laham / GETTY IMAGES)

By Mark ZwolinskiSports Reporter

Wed., Dec. 28, 2011

The NHL hits the halfway point of the season the second week in January with an alarming number of star players nursing concussions and what is shaping up to be a entertaining fight for playoff positioning.

December has been one of the single-most devastating months for concussions in the history of the league. No fewer than nine all-star level players were either on the sidelines, or added to them, due to concussions.

In the standings, the Leafs remain in the playoff picture, but they’re fighting for their lives instead of building a cushion. The Leafs are good for business in the NHL, especially if they can crack the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

Here’s a look at six stories to watch the rest of the season:

1. Crosby and Concussions

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The NHL enjoyed an eight-game spurt with Crosby back from a concussion, but is once again deprived of the game’s top player. The Penguins star is participating in light exercise but remains sidelined indefinitely.

“He’s still having some symptoms,” Pens coach Dan Bylsma said Wednesday following practice.

Despite the uncertainty, the Pens are refusing to let Crosby’s condition affect their intent to re-sign him and keep him in the organization for life. Crosby under contract through next season on a five-year $43.5 deal he signed in 2007.

The Leafs are in Pittsburgh Jan. 31. By that time, the NHL should know more about Crosby’s status, as well as those of several other concussed stars.

In December alone, the league lost Chris Pronger, Claude Giroux, Kris Letang, Milan Michalek, Jeff Skinner and Mike Richards to head injuries. Those six stars were added to a list of other concussed stars that includes Marc Staal and Andy McDonald. This week, the Leafs put defenceman John-Michael Liles on the IR with concussion-like symptoms while the Predators lost all-star defenceman Shea Weber.

Concussions are a hot-button issue across the league but not all of them are caused by head hits. Injuries to Pronger, Giroux and Michalek occurred incidentally, which has some arguing that outlawing head shots and fighting will not reduce injuries.

Still, the concussion losses are staggering and one way the league has responded is by investigating equipment. Twelve players are currently testing a new shoulder pad with softer padding material that could reduce concussion-inducing impacts.

2. CBA expires September 2012

It’s expected the NHL and new players’ union boss Donald Fehr will open discussions on or after the all-star break.

Many observers think the NHL, like the NBA, will ask players to accept a one or two percentage point reduction in their share of revenues, which currently stand at 57 per cent.

The performance of the U.S. economy will be an important issue in 2012. While the league reports increases in revenues and attendance, not all 30 teams are making money. The Florida Panthers, for example, remain in the red despite equalization payments and rebates. Rollbacks on salary, and possibly higher escrow payments by the players, could be key issues in the upcoming CBA talks, and a way for low-end teams to break even.

3. Trade Deadline

It’s always an important date, and the local hype should increase if the Leafs remain a playoff contender.

A rumour linking Eric Staal to the Leafs ignited last week only to be denied by Carolina GM Jim Rutherford. Another big name rumour involves Shea Weber and apparent interest from the Red Wings.

One important team to watch at the deadline will be the Flyers. The club has no more cap room, big payments due to veterans Pronger and Kimmo Timonen and interest in having Jaromir Jagr and Jakub Voracek return next year.

Defenceman Matt Carle has been singled out in Philadelphia for trade talk, mostly because he is set to get a 40 per cent increase in his current $3.4 million deal.

Pronger’s future is still up in the air, and retirement could cause more problems for the Flyers since his contract has a $4.9 million cap hit for the next five seasons.

And speaking of retirement, is this season the last we will see Teemu Selanne, Nik Lidstrom, Daniel Alfredsson, and Martin Brodeur?

4. Leafs and Habs, who makes the playoffs?

The Leafs started off December with a 2-5-1 skid that saw them slide down the standings. They recovered with a pair of victories over the Sabres and Islanders entering Christmas, but lost to the Panthers earlier this week.

Though the team has played playoff worthy hockey most of the season, the Eastern Conference has turned into a battleground the past few weeks, with as little as two or three points separating multiple teams.

Toronto’s losing streak left the club in sixth spot in the standings entering action Wednesday. Many critics have singled out the team’s week special teams. Only two weeks ago, the Leafs were tried for third in the conference.

In Montreal, the team fired head coach Jacques Martin and created a tizzy among the locals with the hiring of unilingual interim coach Randy Cunneyworth. The Habs also acquired ex-Leaf Tomas Kaberle, and will have a glut of defencemen with the return of Chris Campoli and Andre Markov from injury.

Montreal is only five points behind the Leafs in the playoff race. The Habs went into the Christmas break on a five-game losing streak but were finally able to get a win for the new coach Tuesday against the Senators.

Toronto and Montreal play three more times this season with the final meeting on April 7, which is also the final Saturday of the season. That game could have big playoff implication for both squads.

5. Are the Wild for real?

The Wild are currently sixth in the Western Conference, just five points behind the resilient Chicago Blackhawks.

The team’s success is a feel good story in the NHL this season. New coach Mike Yeo challenged his players to give the locals a turnaround and help create a truly positive story fans in the city could rally behind.

Fans in Minneapolis-St. Paul love hockey as much as anyone, and the Xcel Energy Center is one of the best rinks in the league to play in.

Goalie Josh Harding was a league leader for the first two months of the season. Veterans Mikka Koivu, Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi benefited from the solid play and support of young guns Kyle Brodziak, Jared Spurgeon, Marco Scandella and Nick Johnson. The Wild have the third-lowest goals against and the eighth-best penalty kill in the league.

They are currently only one point behind Vancouver in the Northwest division, which should bode well for their playoff hopes in the second half. But the Wild are also battling injuries and went on a three-game skid just before Christmas.

6. how about the Senators?

Senators coach Paul McLean deserves the recognition he’s getting for taking what every critic thought was a last place team and turning them into a viable contender.

Jason Spezza is leading the charge offensively. He is off to one of his best seasons ever, while 21-year-old defenceman Erik Karlsson leads the league in scoring by blueliners, and is in the top five in all-star voting.

At the very least, the Senators have defied critics and odds makers; there could be a big surprise in store in Ottawa over the second half.

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